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A Batchelers Resolution./ OR/ Haue among you now, Widowes or Maydes,/ For I come a woing as Fancie perswades./ I must haue a Wife, be she Older or Younger,/ For I cannot, nor will not lye alone any longer.University of California - Santa BarbaraThe Early Modern CenterDirectorPatricia Fumerton1629Early Modern Center, University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA06/27/200820105

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Patricia FumertonEarly Modern Center - English DepartmentUniversity of CaliforniaSanta Barbara, CA 93105United States of AmericaEMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

1.232-233rS30961The Blazing TorchThe Blazing TorchA Batchelour I haue beene long, / and had no minde to marry,Ile lye alone no longer [with variations]ILe be contented with my lot, / How euer it befall,formerly conjoined single sheet oblong folio, cut in two parts and hinged, with verso: 'A Looking-glasse, for Murtherers and Blasphemers;...' [imprint cropped?: verso imprint = London printed for I.T.]; see V. App.ii:11-12.Pepys 1.232-233rRollins (1) II:110-115; STC 1105.5 [A. Mathews? 1629?]; Rollins (2) 123 (June 1, 1629, IV, 213).Woodblock 1: 1st 1/2 sheet folio, under title and tune, above column 1: A well-dressed bearded man (presumably the bachelor) stands facing the right of the cut. He wears a broad brimmed hat with a plume, pantaloons, a cloak, and riding boots with spurs. He has his left hand on his hip. A sword hangs at his waist. He stands on a hill where flowers grow. : 88 x 57Woodblock 2: 1st 1/2 sheet folio, under title and tune, above column 2: A lady, possibly an aristocrat, wears an ornate dress with a flower on the stomacher. She has a decorated ruff and long flowing sleeves with patterened edges. Her hair is pulled back and she wears a crown or headpice with a large feather or plume. She stands facing the left of the cut, with her right hand extended. In her left hand, she holds a fan. On the ground below her, flowers grow. : 88 x 57Woodblock 3: 2nd 1/2 sheet folio, under title and tune, above column 3 and 4: An aristocratic couple stand, their hands extended towards each other. The woman stands to the left of the cut, her left hand, holding a fan, extended towards the man. She wears an elaborate dress with a wide skirt (supported by a french farthingale?) split to reveal her underskirt, and an additional short overskirt. The bodice of her dress is decorated with a stripe and diamond pattern, the arms of her gown are decorated with a large stripe, and the bottom of the gown is also decorated with a stripe. She wears an elaborate hat with a feather, a large ruff, gloves, and low shoes. Her right hand holds an indeterminate object. The man stands to the right of the woodcut, his right leg and arm extended towards the woman. He wears a buttoned doublet or jacket, decorated with stripes, short full breeches, tall boots, a frilled collar, and a tall brimmed hat with a band and feather. Both appear to be smiling.: 92 x 98Pepys LibraryThe Pepys ballads : facsimile volumeEditorW.G. DayD.S. BrewerCambridge [England]1987
Information in this section of the Source Description
refers to the original ballad manuscript.
1: 2321: 233A Batchelers Resolution./ OR/ Haue among you now, Widowes or Maydes,/ For I come a woing as Fancie perswades./ I must haue a Wife, be she Older or Younger,/ For I cannot, nor will not lye alone any longer.A Batchelers Resolution. OR Have among you now, Widowes or Maydes, For I come a woing as Fancie perswades. I must have a Wife, be she Older or Younger, For I cannot, nor will not lye alone any longer.A Bachelor's Resolution. Or Have Among You Now, Widows or Maids, for I Come a Wooing as Fancy Persuades. I Must Have a Wife, Be She Older or Younger, for I Cannot, nor Will Not Lie Alone Any Longer.The second Part.The second Part.The Second Part.1/2 sheet folio, originally left part, hinged, 287 x 1481/2 sheet folio, originally right part, hinged, 291 x 153cropped left and bottom edges, torn top edge, creased, damaged surface, verso shows throughcropped right edge, all edges torn, creased, damaged surface, uneven inking, verso shows throughcast fleuronscast fleurons1629[imprint cropped?: verso imprint = London printed for I.T.]Weinstein: STC

A Batchelers Resolution.ORHave among you now, Widowes or Maydes,For I come a woing as Fancie perswades.I must have a Wife, be she Older or Younger,For I cannot, nor will not lye alone any longer.To the tune of, The Blazing Torch.

A Batchelour I have beene long,and had no minde to marry,But now I finde it did me wrongthat [I] so long did tarry,Therefore I will a wooing ride,there's many married younger,Where shall I goe to se[e]ke a Bride?Ile lye alone no longer.So many sinnes are incidentunto a single life,That I all danger to preventwith speede will seeke a Wife:If I with Women chance to drinkeI'me call'd a Mutton-monger,But now Ile stop their mouthes I thinkeAnd lye alone no longer.O Fate send me a handsome Lassethat I can fancy well,For Portion Ile not greatly passe,though Money heares the bell.Love now adayes with Gold is boughtbut I'me no Money-monger.Give mee a Wife, though shee's worth noughtIle lye alone no longer.Yet if she chance to proove a Slut,a Scold, or else a Whore,That could not chuse but be a cut,and v[e]xe me very sore,A Slut would make me loath my meatewere I halfe dead with hunger,But I must leave this fond conceate,And lye alone no longer.

What if she should a Wanton be,and make my forehead ake?Oh that would be a griefe to me,such wrongs few men will take,For jealousie is of such force,no passion can be stronger,But be she better, be she worse,Ile lye alone no longer.If jealous she shall be of me,that were as great a spight,Then should we seldome quiet be,but quarrell day and night,She'd thinke my love from her did rangethough I nere meant to wrong her,Yet this shall not my humour change,Ile lye alone no longer.What shall I doe to chuse a wifein every thing compleate?Should I in searching spend my life,t'would proove a taske to great,No Man can finde a Woman so,the older nor the younger,Ile take my chance as others doe,And lye alone no longer.Yet will I chuse the best I can,Jove send me luck in chusing,And crave the counsell of some manwhose counsels worth the using:If she proove good I shall be glad,and vow Ile never wrong her,Yet am resolved good or badTo lye alone no longer.

The second Part. To the same tune.

ILe be contented with my lot,how ever it befall,Yet if she proove a drunken sot,'twill grieve me worst of all,Then I my selfe must drinke small-beere,and she must drinke the stronger,Though't cost me twenty pounds a yeare,Ile lye alone no longer.This is the onely time I know,for Young-men to get Wives,They say that Maides and Widowes nowfo[r] Husbands daily strives,Th[eref]ore I shall be quickly sped,si[t]h both for Husbands hunger,With any man theyle quickly wed,Theyle lye alone no longer.Be shee a widdow or a Bawde,I doe not greatly passe,A withered Crone whose blo[o]d's decayde,or a young lively Lasse:One that is rich, or one that's poore,a feeble, or a stronger:An honest woman, or a whore,Ile lye alone no longer.But yet if I my choice may havea Mayde [s]hould b[e] my wife,I would not be a Widowes slave,Ide rather loose my life:If I should wed a Widow old,I had better take a younger,For Widowes will not be contrould,Yet I can stay no longer.If she should have a stinking breathI never should abide her,For that to me is worse then death,I had rather touch a Spider:But that's a fault may soone be smelt,sir Ajax smels no stronger:[B]efore Ile take one with such fault,Ile lye alone yet longer.

If shee chance to proove a Scould,her tongue will breede my strife,Then I must looke to be contrould,and curbed by me Wife:A Scould of women is the worst,shele force a man to wrong her:Therefore Ile try all humors first,And lye alone no longer.Some men perhaps may wonder, whymy minde runnes so on Marriage,To him that askes me, I reply,'tis for my honest carriage:For live a young man nere so chaste,he's counted a Whoremonger:Therefore Ile get a Wife in haste,And lye alone no longer.Although my Wife be none oth best,yet I must be content:I shall as well speede as the rest,which 'bout this action went:I am not first that matched ill,therefore it is no wonder:Ile keepe my resolution still,And lye alone no longer.I trust I shall with one be sped,that doth deserve my love:If I with such a Woman wed,I sweare by mighty Jove,That ere she any thing should [?]Ile suffer colde and hunger:Though she had scant cloathesIde lye alone no longer.You that my resolution hearjudge whether I deserveTo have a Wife that love[?]and would my will obser[ve]Were she a Widdow or a [?]an Elder, or a Younger[?]My Wedding should not be [?][Ile lye alone] no long[er.]